The Briefly for August 27, 2019 – The "End the Gifted Programs to Desegregate the City's Schools" Edition
Why can't New York be a modern city? The answer lies in the billion-dollar fiefdoms controlled by city and state agencies and can be illustrated by a simple dog walk. (New York Mag)
Another person was killed by a driver on Coney Island Avenue. A 40-year-old man was lying on the sidewalk near a parking garage when he was run over by someone pulling into the garage a little after midnight on Monday. This is the fourth person killed on or near Coney Island Avenue this year. (Streetsblog)
This week marks the 243rd anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Ten spots to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn. (Untapped Cities)
A panel of experts has a recommendation on how to end segregation in the city's schools: close all the gifted programs. (NY Times)
If you're someone who keeps a spreadsheet of the best food in Chinatown (I know more than one person who does this), strike Yee Li, formerly New Big Wang, from the list. After 33 years on the corner of Elizabeth and Bayard, the restaurant is closed but lives on in spirit at the family's new restaurant, New Yee Li, on Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn.
Surprise! A broken rail on the 7 train ruined Monday morning's commute on the 7, E, M, F and R trains. (Gothamist)
Photos and more photos from Afropunk (Gothamist and Brooklyn Vegan)
If you're wondering what's going on with the replacement of the BQE near the Brooklyn Promenade, you're not alone. Multiple city and federal officials signed onto a letter looking for answers from the Department of Transportation. (Curbed)
A ghost kitchen is coming to Soho. Zuul, literally named after Zuul the Gatekeeper of Gozer from Ghostbusters, will house multiple restaurants who will only offer delivery. Sweetgreen, Junzi, Sarge's, Naya, Stone Bridge Pizza & Salad, and POsitive Foods have already signed on. There is no restaurant, only Zuul. (Eater)
The Farmers' Almanac has made their predictions for winter 2020 and you're really gonna hate this. "With colder-than-normal temperatures in the Northeast and above-normal precipitation expected, our outlook forewarns of not only a good amount of snow, but also a wintry mix of rain and sleet—especially along the coast." They are also predicting an extended winter and a slow start to spring. (Patch)
Today is PSL day in Starbucks across the country, but get ready for the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, the latest abomination destined for success. (Grub Street)
The Kosciuszko Bridge will open on Thursday, four years ahead of schedule, and bring with it pedestrian and bike lanes. (Curbed)
A state Supreme Court Judge upheld the state's ban on religious exemptions to vaccinations for all children in public or private schools, put in place after the measles outbreak this year. The plaintiffs plan to appeal the decision. (Gothamist)
Arthur Schwartz, the lawyer leading the legal arguments against the 14th St busway who likened people protesting him to "white hooded zealots," has compared Jane Jacobs' fight in the '60s against Robert Moses to his fight against "our millennial version of Robert Moses" Polly Trottenberg. Trottenberg, who graduated from Barnard College in 1986 and is not a millennial. (The Villager)
Statues for Equality by Gillie and Marc bring statues of ten women to Sixth Avenue on the anniversary of women getting the right to vote. (Untapped Cities)
Despite the president's tweet that the federal government is working to extend the Q train to 125th St, nothing has been done by the Trump administration to prove his words remotely true. (6sqft)
Why do some buildings allow roof access and some do not? (Street Easy)
The overall number of overdose deaths in the city is down, but the Bronx, Staten Island, and Manhattan all saw increases. Rates are down among black and white New Yorkers but are up among Latinos. (amNY)
Taylor Swift's "Cornelia Street" on her new album mentions the townhouse she rented in Greenwich Village. Take a look inside. (Curbed)
Would you believe that the NYPD Detective Darryl Schwartz, who is being sued for allegedly making bogus DWI arrests in order to earn extra overtime, has a history of misconduct? (Gothamist)
Anyerson Delacruz-Rosario was arrested in the Dominican Republic for his part in trafficking hundreds of thousands of packets of heroin and fentanyl to New York City. (Patch)
The lawsuit against the Central Park West bike lane appears to be in jeopardy as the building who filed the suit is facing internal challenges against it and possibly violated state law with the filing. (Streetsblog)
A tribute to the 99 cent pizza slice in the form of a new mural by City Kitty. (EV Grieve)
The best lunch spots in Midtown. (Thrillist)
Thanks to Baily Crawford (@blycrawford) for today's featured photo!